Cable-terminal and junction-box.



PATENTED NOV. 26, 1907.

l P. B. 000K. CABLE TERMINAL AND JUNCTION BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JULY9. 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Afa/A M FRANK B. COOK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CABLE-'maman AND JUNCTION-Box.

i Specication of Letten Patent."

PatentedNov. 26, 1907 Application lad July 9. 1906l Serial No. 325,325.

To' all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. Coox, a citi- ,zen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented a new and useful Cable-Terminal and Junction-Box, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, illustrating same. j

Vly linvention relates to cable terminals used in connection with telephone or telegraph cables, or the like, for distributing the conductors thereof andprotecting same against injurious electricit of various forms. The principal objects o my invention are tov provide a cable terminal having an airtight and moisture-tight distributing box constructed of sheet metal; to provide an improved junction box which is very durable and accessible; to adapt the junctionbox toL be used alone or in connection with the cable terminal; to adapt the junction box and cable terminal so that the terminal may be mounted on the junction box either before the latter is installed or at'any time thereafter; to'provide improved means whereby the sheet metal box of the cable terminal may `belilled with an insulating compound; and to provide improved construction in such apparatus in general.

Other objects willbe apparent from the following specification.

Ileretofore it has not been the lractice to use a junction box on which a cab e terminal could be mounted after the junction box was.

installed. Where junction boxes were used they were used alone and did not have provisions for mounting a cable terminal thereon; or they were constructed in one piece with the cable terminal so the could not be separated. Furthermore, cab e terminals of the inclosed type were generally constructed of cast iron `and were therefore necessarily very heavy and inconvenient to handle.

-In the present invention, I construct the terminal and junction box separately and:

adapt them so that the terminal' can be mounted on the junction box at any time, either before or after the junction box is installed. This feature in such' apparatus has many advantages. Sometimes 1t is desired to install a junction box at a certain point without distributing any of the cable conductors at this point, and then in the future to be able to distribute certain of the cable conductors at the junction box, in which case it is necessary to have a cable terminal in 'connection with the junction box. Then, with this invention, in oase the distribution at any one point is insufficient, the cable terminal in use at this point may be removed' and re-v placed by a larger terminal which is mounted to the junction box. By making the inclosed box of the cable terminal of sheet metal I greatly reduce the weightof such a terminal and thereby rovide a terminal which isvery easily han led and ve strong and durable. The sheet metal affor s facilities for'improved construction in s uch a terminal. I may make the junction box either of cast iron or sheet metal, whichever is desired.

In the accompan g drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation o the cable terminal and junction bx, the terminal being mounted on the junction box; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the cable terminal and junction box; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectionalview of the cable terminal and junction box, taken on line zcof Fi 1; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view ofthe cab e termmal,I taken on line y-y of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the junction box,

taken on line z-z of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a de.

tail view showing the mounting of the protective devices on the cable terminal.

' Like characters refer to like severalfigures. Y

The junctionl box 1 is merely a box provided With a lid 2 which is secured thereto by bolts 3 3. A rubber gasket 4 is placed between the box portion 1 and lid 2 so as to keep the junction box air and moisture ti ht.

. The self-soldering nozzles 5 5 are. secure to the bottom of the junction box, preferably by a'screw connection therewith. It is not thought to be necessary to describe the selfsoldering nozzles in detail, as their action and operation is well understood. These selfsoldering nozzles form the subject matter of my co ndi application for Letters Patent on self-)seoldeing sleeves for .cables or the like,

Serial No. 257,670, filed April 27, 1905. The.

junction box is provided with a mounting bracket 6 which may be mounted to the side of a pole or to a cross arm when the junction box 1s installed on a pole.

The sheet-metal box 7 of the cable termi.-l

nal is preferably'mounted on top of the junction box as shown in Fig. 3, when the terminal and junction box are used together, there besa parts in the l comprising tubular fuses 10110 and carbon ing a rubber asket 8 between the terminal and junction4 ox to keep the joint air and moisture tight. A hole 9 is provided from the junction box to the'cable-ter'minal' to accommodate the conductors leading to the terminal. The protective devices preferably hghtning arresters 11 11 are mounted' on op- .posite sides f the cable terminal as shown in detail in Fig'. 6. Fanning strips 12 12 are preferably ,securedl to the rear of the cable terminal and are each provided with a series of holes 13 13 vtherein to accommodate the line conductors leadingfrom the terminals 14 14 of Ifuses l10 10. hese line conductors an -strips 12 12 through a hole 28 in the lower base of the junction box, from whence lthey extend up the pole to the cross arms and..

preferably extend downward between the aerial conductors ofthe system. The cable conductors extend through a self-soldering nozzleinto .the inclosure 'ofthe junction.

.box and then through hole 9 into'the incl a sure of the cable terminal where they are distributed to terminals 15 15, preierably being soldered to same. Terminals 15 15 are in- A sulated from the' sheet-metal box 7 b insuv asshown.

lating bushinlgs and vWashers 16 16,-pre era'bly he sheet-metalbox 7 is preferably provided -With a cover'17l on the front v thereof` which isremoved when it is desired to distribute the cable'conductors to terminals 15 15." A rubber gasket 27 'is placed underneath the lid 1T to'keep the jo1nt air and moisture tight. Spring members 18 and-19 suitably hold the tubular'fuses 10 10 in place in the circuit in a'manner well understood.

The lightning-arresters 11 1 1 are held between springs 19 and 20, spring 20 being in electrical connection with Athe sheet-metal box 7 V.When the cable terminal is installed, the box 7 -is preferabl connected to earth, which' gives a groun connectionA for:V the j lightning 'arrest-.ers A.1111. ,The lid 110mb@ box 7 `preferably"carries a guide strip 21 for the sheet-meta cover same.

' Guide strip 21 and the fanmng strips 12'12 ways kept ,air and moisture tight 'so as to after the cable conductors aredistributed to a terminals 15-1'5 and the-'front plate 17., is put in lace. I t is not necessary to fill the termina With'ani insulating compound as it is alproperly protect the cable conductors inside thereof, butan insulating compound'may be cover 22 which mayj'beff ,drawn 'down over the cable' terminal and junction box 'to completel as a whole, the ga used by those who desire to use same. The terminal box 7 is preferably mounted on the junction box' 1 by angle irons 25 25 and 1s preferably provided with end pieces 26 26 set in the sheet-metal portion 7 and bolted thereto. In making the cable terminal box, sheet-metal v portion 7, end portions 26. 26,

Aangle irons 25 25, etc., are all assembled and bolted together ti htly and then galvanized lvanizing sealing all of the joints perfectly tight. use the yjunction box l1`Without thecable ter- When it is desired to minal, the hole 9 in the top thereof is simply covered by a platewhichis secured to the j unction box. 'If yat any time in the future itis desired to attach a terminal to the junction box, the plate covering the hole 9 may be removedA and the terminal mounted in place on the junction box. 'l

All of the cable conductors leading to the junction box enter through the self-soldering nozzles 5 5. Some of the cable conductors may becarried to vthe terminal 7 'and distributed therein, and others spliced ,Within the `unction box .1 and'carried out'of Athe junc ion box through the' self-soldering nozlzles and other cables. lf desired, certain of the cable conductors canbe left dead-ended in the junction box. carried tothe junction box'through-a large 'self-soldering nozzle, part of the conductors thereof can be carried through' hole 9 into termnal 7 and distributed there, part of the conductors can be left dead-ended in the junction box so that a large `cable terminal may be mounted thereon at any time and then these conductors distributed in the terminal, and part of the conductors can be spliced to con.-

Alarge cable can be ductors of other cables and carried out from the junction boxthrough other self-soldering nozzles.' .The cable conductors can be distributed and utilized in many different ways and it is not thought to be 'necessary totry to describefall ofthe different combinations and arrangements, in this s ecification.

The cable terminal erein shown can ybe it would be suitabl mounted to a'pole, or the like, and the cab e to be distributed therein brought directly thereto Ithrough a selfsoldering nozzle. lf Aeither the cable terminalor junction box' be used separately, a shorter covler 22 willV be used to cover same.4 The cover'22 may belocked down in place ii desired. v

I do not wish to limit this invention to the e' used without the junction box, in which case particular details ofconstruction as herein shown, as many modifications in'the constructlon may from the scope of the invention.

' What I claim as new and desire to by Letters Patent, is v 1. A cable terminal comprising an inclosed box made of sheet metal, a removable cover for the front ofthe box, suitablelanning e made without departing strips secured to the rear of the box, and suitable protective devices mounted on thel said box and fanning strips. j

2. A cable terminal comprising a sheetmetal box, a removable lid for one side of the box, suitable fanning str'ips secured to the saldbox, a series ofspring members for suportmg protective devices, mounted on the anmngstrips', a series of spring members for supportlng protective devices, mounted on opposrte sldes of the said box, and suitable protective devices carried bythe said spring members.

3. A cable terminal comprising an inclosed sheet-metal box, a lid for the front side thereof, a rubber gasket placed underneath the lid to make an air-tight joint between same and the box, a guide strip carried by the said lid, fanning strips secured to the-rear of the saidbox, suitable spring members carried by the sald guide and fanning strips, and a suitable sheet-metal cover laced over the Whole and bearmgl, against t e said spri members which old.D same in place, the saiiguide strip and farming stri s as guides and supports for the sair sheetmetal cover.

4. A cable terminal comprising a sheetmetal box having three sides made of a si le prece of formed sheet metal, a removable id or'the front side thereof, suitable fanning strips secured to the rear of the box, a series of terminal pieces on each side of the box, extendin from the outside thereof to the inside thereo and insulated therefrom, spring members carried by the said terminal pieces, spring members carried by the said iannin strips, and suitableprotective devices carried by the said sprin members.

5'. A junction ox comprising a box portlon, a lid for one side thereof, a suitable gasket between thevlid and the box toV form an yair-tight and moisture-tight joint therebe-r tween, a suitable bracket'for mounting the junction box, and provisions on the top of the junction box for accommodating .a cable terminal which may be mounted thereto.

6. A .junction box comprising a box portion, a removable lid therefor, a bracket for suitably mounting the junction box, 4a cable terminal apart from the inclosure of the junction box and ada ted to be mounted thereon at anytime, an a hole extending from the interior of the junction box into the cable terminal.

7. A junction box comprising a box portion, a removable lid therefor, a bracket for mounting the junction box, suitable means for` accommodating cables leading to the junction box, a cable terminal comprising a sheet-metal box, suitable protective devices carried by the sheet-metal box, and suitable means and construction Whereb terminal may be mounted on t e junction box at any time.

v 8. A junction box comprisi a metal box portion, a suitable lid for the ront thereof, means for securing the said lid to the box so as to provide an air-tight and moisture tight joint therebetween, a suitable bracket for mounting the junction box, ,suitable self-solderin nozzles secured to the bottom of the junctlon box and adapted to accommodate cables .leading thereto, a cable terminal cornprising an inclosed sheet-metal box, mounted upon the top of the junction box, a passage from the inclosure -of the junction box tothe inclosure of the cable terminal, for accommodating conductors leading from the junction box to the terminal, a removable cover for the 'front side 'of the cable terminal,` suitable fannin'g strips secured to the rear of the cable the cable j terminal, a suitable guide carried b the cable terminal, a series of fuses and ightning arresters mounted on op osite sides of the cable terminal, a series ofimounti springs for the said fuses, carried by the sai fanning stri s, a suitable sheet-metal cover for the said) terminal and junction box, ada ted'to be pulled clear down over same, an s ring members carried b the said uide an fanning strips for holding the sai cover in place Whether same is pulled clearv down over the FRANK B. COOK. Witnesses zj. g

JNO. F. ToMPxrNs, F BEDEBICK R. PARKER. 

